Date And Quinoa Muffins

Date And Quinoa Muffins
Big Sur Bakery

Ingredients:

For The Streusel Topping:

1/4 cup pecans

1/2 vanilla bean

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour 

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

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For The Muffin Batter

1/2 cup pecan halves

1 cup unsalted butter, softened,

    plus extra for coating the pan

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grated zest from 1 orange

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup quinoa flour

1 cup buttermilk

10 dried dates, pitted and 

    chopped into pieces.

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Directions:

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375^F.

Scatter the pecans for both the streusel topping and the muffin batter on a cookie sheet and toast until they are golden through the center, about 10 minutes.  (To check if they are done, cut one open and inspect the color inside.)  Let them cool and roughly chop them.  Use 1/4 cup of chopped pecans for the streusel and the remainder for the muffin batter.  (Leave the oven on.)

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To make the streusel topping: Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a paring knife, scrape out the pulp with the back of the knife, and put the pulp and the pod in a small saucepan.  Add the butter and melt over medium-high heat.  Cook until the butter separates and the white milk solids start to brown and smell nutty, about 7 minutes.  Remove the vanilla bean.  Pour the brown butter in a dry bowl, place in the freezer, leave until solid, about 30 minutes.

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Remove the solidified butter from the bowl and chop into small pieces.  Combine the butter, flour, brown sugar and salt in a bowl and work the mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly.  Mix the chopped pecans and refrigerate the streusel until ready to use.

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Butter a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.

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To make the batter:  In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one by one, and mix to incorporate.  Mix in the vanilla extract and orange zest.  Combine the all-purpose flour and the quinoa flour in a bowl.  Then add the combined flours in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour.  Using a rubber spatula, stir in the reserved pecans and chopped dates.

Fill each prepared muffin cup almost all the way to the top with batter, and sprinkle each muffin with a layer of streusel.  Bake for 20 or 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let the muffins cool completely in the pan.  Then remove them from the pan by running a knife around the edges.  Serve.  Yield 12 muffins.